Stone Jizo in the snow at Kongorinji temple, Shiga Prefecture. There are thousands of these, most of them lining the steps on both sides all the way up the side of the mountain to the temple building. Jizo is a guardian bodhisattva. The bibs and placement indicate they are probably set here for the souls of unborn children.

View of the pagoda, Kongorinji temple.

Kongorinji temple building, designated a National Treasure.

Temple bell, Kongorinji.

Taga-taisha shrine, Shiga Prefecture. The shrine (not the building itself) can be dated back about 1,500 years.

September, 2013
The Kanda River was actually one of the outer rings of a moat system for Edo Castle in the Edo Period, so it’s probably better to think of it as a moat than a river. Train lines run alongside it between Tokyo station and Shinjuku station. The edges of Akihabara (famous for electronic goods and the geek subculture) can be seen in the fifth photo.

UPDATE: The Kanda River was not part of the moat system. It’s a real river. The source is a ways out Westish, about 40 minutes or so on this train line, by the Ghibli museum.